A North Carolina man died while trying to rescue his children from the ocean. Emergency crews were called Sunday afternoon to Wrightsville Beach.Crews pulled Johnny Lee Vann Jr., 35, from the water and were unable to resuscitate him.Witnesses told officials Vann ran into the water to rescue several of his children when he started to have trouble.His widow said her husband was able to reach their daughter, but then he told someone he couldn't breathe. "He did what any father would do. His family came first. Something I thought I'd never have to do," Dawn Vann said. "I never thought I'd have to do this family without my husband. That was the best man you could ever imagine to have in your life."All of the children made it back to the shore.